What’s the difference between dealing with a car insurance company directly or a local agent?
Monday, October 20th, 2008 at
1:53 am
Miranda B asked:
I was with the same insurance company for 10 years using the same local agent. My car insurance rates kept going up every time my policy was renewed. I decided to explore and see what better rates I could get with other car insurance companies. Friends and family gave me names of local agents from insurance companies they used. All the agents quoted me really high. Then, I called a major insurance company’s 800 number (not through an agent) and got the lowest quote. So, why do people use insurance agents? Is there a reason why it’s better to use an agent?
I was with the same insurance company for 10 years using the same local agent. My car insurance rates kept going up every time my policy was renewed. I decided to explore and see what better rates I could get with other car insurance companies. Friends and family gave me names of local agents from insurance companies they used. All the agents quoted me really high. Then, I called a major insurance company’s 800 number (not through an agent) and got the lowest quote. So, why do people use insurance agents? Is there a reason why it’s better to use an agent?
Tagged with: 800 Number • Car Insurance Rates • Insurance
Filed under: Car Insurance
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free mints.
Because you can only get insurance from a standard insurance company through an agent. The 800 number was for something like Geico, which is a do-it-yourself version in which you get to do all the work of figuring things out. You save money by doing the legwork yourself.
For me, I want an agent whose office I can visit, look him in the eye and communicate. He will always be there if I need him. The last thing I need is to play phone tag with some mindless clerk on the telephone. Beware the low quote(s). Often they throw you a low quote and then when they hook you they will raise the rates
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Ok, so when you have an accident or have a question, do you want to talk to somebody in India that can’t speak English and doesn’t really care about your situation? Or do you want somebody that can talk to you face to face and that actually cares about you? Think about it! They might be cheaper, but I’d rather pay an extra 20 bucks a month to know that I’m supporting a local business and that I know I’ll get to talk to the same person every single time.
ok first off when you call a company direct or do an online do it yourself quote they normally will not run any reports until you buy the policy. this means they won’t run your credit, mvr or clue reports. you automatically get set into a decent rating tier. once the policy is bought they run your reports and if your credit is not as good as the tier they placed you in or if you have anything on your mvr or clue it makes your policy premiums increase. i personally will NEVER write any policy i need direct without a local agent. being an agent i know the benefits my clients get by having me. many people come into my office to write after going to a company direct and realizing when they need help they never talk to the same person twice, one hand doesn’t know what the other is doing, and IF they get a human he lives in India and cannot speak English. Its your choice!
If you want good service deal with an insurance company direct, not all local agents have poor service. When dealing with an insurance company you pay no broker fees or in most cases no endorsement fees. Also with an insurance company you will get better availability hours, you we’re quoted high because of local agent fees. Reason why some people use agent’s is the would rather the agent do the shopping for their car insurance, if you can spend time and shop your self you will save.
In addition to what a-mac said; if you have a claim but you are unsure if it is covered you can discuss it with your agent without submitting it to the company. (Companies do not like this – fyi)
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Best of luck to you.